Chapter 8

In the vaults of the palace, outside the cell of the KING OF THE BEGGARS. Drop Scene.

(Enter HASSAN)

HASSAN Which way? Which way? I am lost in this dark passage. My voice rings around the arches. What's that noise? Is there an army coming? Or are all the prisoners stamping with wrath?...No....It is only someone walking....I wonder who! And if this stranger asks me my business what shall I say to him? Do I know what brought me to this dismal region?

ISHAK (From the darkness) Who goes there? Who goes there? What dost thou here? What is thy business?

HASSAN Who calls? I am Hassan, inspecting the security of the imperial prisons. Who art thou?

ISHAK Who am I? Ten books were written by Aflatun and twenty by Aristu to answer that mighty question, O Hassan of my heart.

HASSAN Ishak! Come out of hiding, Ishak. What are you doing here?

ISHAK I gather mushrooms, O inspector of the vaults of vice!

HASSAN Have you come too? I do not know why I came. I hoped...I do not know why I came, but I think our hearts do beat together like the hearts of friends. Did you come here because of _them_?

ISHAK I came here to hear a play more tragic than the mysteries of Hossein, to listen to a debate more weighty than the council talk of kings....

HASSAN You do not mean?...

ISHAK I mean the debate of love and life.

HASSAN Could you spy on that? How cruel!

ISHAK The poet must learn what man's agony can teach him.

HASSAN Is it then not better not to be a poet?

ISHAK (Bitterly) Allah did not ask me that question when he made me a poet and a dissector of souls. It is my trade: I do but follow my master, the exalted Designer of human carpets, the Ruler of the world. If he prepared the situation, shall I not observe the characters? Thus I corrupt my soul to create--Allah knoweth what--ten little words like rubies in a row. As for you, I think you begin to understand the Caliph of the Faithful.

HASSAN Why speak of him? All men are brutes, you and he and I. I thought that I was kinder than other men--but I was only more afraid. This day is the first day of my exaltation, I have begun it the all but murderer of a woman, and I end it a spy on souls in trouble.

ISHAK Do not worry any longer, dear Hassan, on the moral problem. The moths of curiosity will always flutter round the lamp of circumstances. Here comes the Guard, they shall direct us.

(Enter 2 GUARDS)

ISHAK (To the GUARD) Ho, soldier, whither?

Ist GUARD (Saluting) To the cell of the King of the Beggars, my masters, to relieve the Guard.

ISHAK What, will you stand inside the cell?

Ist GUARD Inside, O my masters.

ISHAK A shame, I say, a shame to spy on a pair of lovers. Will they fly off through the keyhole?

Ist GUARD We know the ways of prisoners, O my masters. Masrur is disappointed when we bring him corpses to be whipped. (To 2nd GUARD) Is he not disappointed, Mohamed?

2nd GUARD (In deep, lugubrious and respectful tones) Oh, sir, he is bitterly disappointed.

ISHAK Well, it is your fault, my fine fellows, if you leave daggers and ropes lying about in your prisoners' cells.

Ist GUARD Ah, you do not know the artfulness of prisoners, my masters. They will bang their heads against the wall, or they will eat their straw. (To 2nd GUARD) Do they not eat their straw, Mohamed?

2nd GUARD (To ISHAK) Oh sir, they frequently eat their straw.

ISHAK Chain them, chain them.

Ist GUARD We do, my masters, but even then they strangle themselves in their fetters.

ISHAK Strangle themselves in their fetters?

Ist GUARD Do they not strangle themselves in their fetters, Mohamed.

2nd GUARD (To ISHAK) I have known them, sir, to strangle themselves in their fetters.

ISHAK But, as you know, these two have a choice between a life with separation and a death with torment. Now surely they will choose life, and will hardly need a sentry to spear them away from the doorstep of eternity.

Ist GUARD I should think so indeed, sir. But you never can tell with prisoners. Prisoners are very obstinate, especially women, are they not Mohamed?

2nd GUARD (To ISHAK) Female prisoners are very obstinate, sir.

ISHAK (With assumed heartiness) Well, none of us would require till sunset to make our choice, would we?

Ist GUARD No, sir, not those of us who have ever seen Masrur at work.

ISHAK But if they do choose their day of love, will they still not be free according to the Caliph's promise? Will you still guard them in their cell, O sons of impropriety, lest they eat their straw?

Ist GUARD (With a leer) Nay, we shall stand outside the door and listen at the grill.

ISHAK And that is precisely what we intend to do now if you will show us the door.

Ist GUARD I don't know whether I could quite do that, sir.

ISHAK (Giving him money) You are valiant fellows and, I am convinced, considerably underpaid.

Ist GUARD Ours is a most disagreeable profession. your Excellency.

2nd GUARD (Accepting money) And the emoluments are infinitesimal.

Ist GUARD This way, gentlemen.

(Shews them to the door.)